Ku Klux Klan
Tayla, Sean, Lachlan and Christabelle

The Ku Klux Klan;
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White Supremacists In America

By: Tayla Korras, Sean Louey, Lachie McGeehan and Chrissy McLeod


  1. How did the first Ku Klux Klan come into being, and what caused the revival of the Ku Klux Klan in 1915? (Check Jim Crow Law for a background clue)

The first Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1865 by veterans of the Confederate Army. Its purpose was to restore white supremacy in the aftermath of the American Civil War. They were known for their hate for African Americans, Jewish people and Roman Catholics.
This Klan was later stopped by president Ulysses S' grants’ prosecution and enforcement under the Civil Rights acts movement of 1871.

In 1915 the second Klan came into power. This was because all the immigrants coming from southern and eastern Europe were either Black, Roman Catholics or Jews. The Klan thought they had to do something about this and started murdering, lynching and bashing the people they thought ‘deserved’ this treatment.

  1. In the 20th century the Ku Klux Klan was organized to achieve particular outcomes- what were they? What were their methods?

In the 20th century the Ku Klux Klan was organized to achieve white supremacy.
White supremacy is the belief, theory, or policy that the white race is superior to all other races, e.g.. The black race, and should therefore retain control in all relationships.
The Ku Klux Klan did not like the way the Blacks were coming up in status in society. After the American Civil War the Blacks (soldiers) did not want to go back to second class status. The Ku Klux Klan adopted an anit-Jewish, anti-Catholic, anti-Communist and anit-immigrant policy. The Klan warned the Blacks that they must show respect to their “superiors”, the white race, and they were told that they were not permitted in “their” country. Once the African Americans secured they’re civil and voting rights the Ku Klux Klan began to focus on rejecting the court-ordered busing to desegregate school, affirmative action and more open immigration. The Ku Klux Klan acted against this, killing many people.

  1. Ku Klux Klan is described as a “white supremacist fraternity”- what was that? Did they hate people other than African Americans? What key belief held the Klan together?

The Ku Klux Klan is a “white supremacist fraternity”, as they believe that whites are the superior race. The Ku Klux Klan weren’t just prejudice against Blacks; they were/ are against people of the Jewish community, people of Christian community, immigrants and communists. The key belief of the Ku Klux Klan, that the white race is the pure one, held the Ku Klux Klan together. The KKK believed they were in the right and saving humanity from an “impure plague”.

  1. Was the Klan of the 1860’s the same Klan as in the 1960’s?

The Klan of the 1860’s was not the same as the Klan in the 1960’s. The Ku Klux Klan in the 1860’s had just formed so it was a mixture of ideas and strengths that made it grow. The Ku Klux Klan had around 550,000 people at the time. In the 1960’s the Ku Klux Klan was stronger than ever with the biggest amount of people they had ever had (4,000,000). The Ku Klux Klan had a lot of power and government support on their side.

  1. The Ku Klux Klan has been described as terrorist organization- what did it have in common with terror organizations today and where was it different?

The Ku Klux Klan has a record of terrorism, violence, and lynching to intimidate and oppress African Americans, Jews, Roman Catholics and labor unions during tough times. Its purpose was to restore white supremacy in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The Ku Klux Klan has been described as a terrorist organization because of the acts they have carried out. Terrorism is normally an act against a specific country or race; this is what the Ku Klux Klan did. They ganged up and tried to inilelate “impure” or “unsuperior” races.

Did the means justify their ends?

The means of the Ku Klux Klan was to restore white supremacy. The means of the Ku Klux Klan did not justify their ends because they caused so much trouble. In the ‘end’ the Ku Klux Klan didn’t achieve anything. Civil rights were given to black members of the community and everyone rose above the KKK.

If you were a young black man or woman living in America the 1960’x how would the Klan’s existence affect you or your family?

If I were a young black man or woman living in America the 1960’s the Ku Klux Klan’s existence would affect my family greatly. The KKK affected everything around them with their performances of violence and illegal acts. In America the 1960’s the Ku Klux Klan would have affected everyone, in some way.





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Ku Klux Klan

Bibliography

Search Engine(s)

www.Wikipedi.org
www.google.com

Video(s)

The Ku Klux Klan Killings [vi

Book(s)

The Ku Klux Klan, America’s Recurring Nightmare
By Fred J. Cook

The White Separatist Movement
By Mary E. Williams

‘A True Story By The First Investigative Reporter To Infiltrate The Ku Klux Klan’
My Life In The Klan
By Jerry Thompson
Introduction By John Seigenthaler, editorial director, USA Today

The Fiery Cross
The Ku Klux Klan In America
By Wym Craig Wade
“Thoroughly researched history… Objective and comprehensive”
-The San Francisco Chronicle